Tag Archives: custody

In a Pennsylvania divorce should couples consider remaining under the same roof?

Divorce, Family, , ,

It seems that more and more separating and divorcing couples are in a position where they continue to reside together for extended periods of time after one or both parties makes the decision to separate or divorce.  One reason for the decision to remain under the same roof is financial.  Often times couples are not in a financial position to separate.  Maybe one person may have been a homemaker and not work outside of the home, making living separate and apart financially impossible.  Or maybe the parties need to first sell the home which is difficult in this down real estate market.  Another reason that parties are continuing to remain together under the same roof is the children.

More and more couples do not want to move from their marital residence until there is some custodial arrangement in place for the children.  More often than not, both parties are actively involved with their children and want to ensure that they maintain that involvement after separation.  As a result, parties are choosing to remain under the same roof until some decision is made about a custody schedule for the children.  Prior to the amendments to the Pennsylvania Custody Laws which went into effect in January 2011, if parties were not able to agree on a custody schedule prior to separating from one another, they had to separate before they could proceed with a formal custody complaint.  While some counties in Pennsylvania would allow the filing of a complaint if a separation was imminent, the law did not specifically allow the filing and therefore, many counties would not entertain a custody complaint while parties were still living together…until now.  The custody law now specifically allows parties still residing together to pursue formal custody actions.  However, any order entered – whether by agreement or by court order – is not effective until the parties physically separate.

While the ability to file a custody action when parties are still living together has been helpful to those couples wanting a custody scheduling in place before separating, there are still a lot of unknowns that may impact the ability to determine what is in the best interest of the children.  First and foremost, where will the parties be living?  Will one be staying in the marital residence?  Will one or both parties they both be moving?  If so, where?  Are the children in school?  If so, will any move take a parent into a new school district?  These are just a few of the many questions to consider when pursing a custody action while still living together.  The more answers that parties have to these questions, the more prepared they will be in moving forward with a custody action prior to physically separating.

Pennsylvania Supervised Visitation

Family, ,

By Tina Laudermilch

As family law practitioners we have all encountered custody situations in which one parent may be limited to supervised visits with their child or children.  The supervisor is often times a family member or friend who is willing to lend a hand and not necessarily a professional supervised visitation center or professional.  More often than not, the family member or friend serving as a supervisor, while well intentioned, may not be aware of the level of responsibility they are undertaking by serving as a custody supervisor and they have little or no training prior to serving as a supervisor.  That is, until now when the Pennsylvania Supervised Visitation Task Force created a short educational video  to help people assigned to act as a physical custody supervisor better understand their role.

Prior to the creation of the video many people were asked to serve as child custody supervisor without really knowing what their responsibility was while being held accountable in the event something happens under the supervisor’s watch.  Common questions arose ranging from “do I have to watch the person at all times even if they go outside for a cigarette” to “if the child sleeps over, do I need to be in the same room as the person and child while everyone is sleeping?”

The Pennsylvania Supervised Visitation Task Force, headed by the Honorable Jeannine Turgeon of the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas, was comprised of family law Judges, numerous family law attorneys, including our own Sandra L. Meilton, Esquire, representatives from children and youth and the YWCA Supervised Visitation Center in Harrisburg, and child custody professionals.  The Task Force spearheaded the creation of the video and enlisted the services of the former producer of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, Margy Whitmer, to produce the video.  Many attorneys and family members graciously served as volunteer actors for the 17 minute video, which depicts five common situations which supervisors face.  The video analyzes these scenarios and provides helpful suggestions on how to more effectively conduct supervised visitation sessions.

The Task Force did an incredible job creating such a fun, innovative, and useful video to help aid people in their role as a custody supervisor.  Family law practitioners recognize the difficult role supervisors play in matters which often they had little to no responsibility for creating.  However, this is an important role because the supervisor is now tasked with ensuring the safety of our children.

For more information on supervised visitation, the Task Force or to view the video please go to http://supervisedvisit.wordpress.com.